THE RIGHT ACTIVEWEAR

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As you head out the door this summer, whether it is to go mountain biking or to the lake to go fishing, having the right type of eye protection or activewear is essential. Eye protection can vary greatly in design and function depending on what type of activities you are to take part in. One of the most important factors to take into consideration when choosing eye protection is if it needs to be designed to protect against impact, the sun, or possibly both.

Eye protection has a large range of options. If you are using the right eye protection for the wrong activity, you may find that your protection is not going to work as you had hoped, and may actually cause more problems. As a new season of school sports kicks up, be sure to suit up with the right eyewear.

The most important part of determining what type of eye protection you need is to identify what you will be protecting your eyes from. For someone who is going to grab the mountain bike and hit to trails, you are looking for something that is designed for impact resistance. Having glasses on that can break and enter the eye, or cause damage to areas around the eye would not be your best option.

The two main categories to look at when you are choosing eyewear is whether your activity is going to have any chance of impact. If there is, you want to choose safety glasses. These differ from regular glasses as they are required to meet a higher standard of impact resistance than regular eye glasses. This standard is required for both the lens and the frame.

Safety glasses are becoming more stylish and can even be special ordered with your prescription in them if need be. Regular glasses, if impacted, may not stand up to the impact which can lead to injury from broken glass or broken frames.

If you’re more up to grabbing your fishing gear and heading to your favorite lake or stream, you are looking to protect your eyes from the sun. In this case impact resistance is not as important as blocking out the UV rays that can damage the eye or even leave your eyes sunburned.

The most effective form of sunglasses are those which have UV protection. Wraparound sunglasses have the most coverage for your face and will help to block out light that can enter around the sides of normal sunglasses. If you are concerned about being able to see, sunglasses like many safety glasses can be made with your prescription to allow you to see clearly through them.

As you step out the door this summer, know that your eye protection has a specific design and function. Using the wrong eyewear for the activity you are going to partake in may leave you more vulnerable and unprotected. If you are unsure which type of eye protection to use, consult your optometrist or the staff at Bissell Eye Care and they will be able to guide you in the right direction!

About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.

WHAT’S IN YOUR GARDEN?

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With spring quickly turning to summer, the annual duties of weeding and watering the gardening have started.  For many people this also means a change in their diet as fresh vegetables are more readily available, and free!  A proper diet is not only good for your overall health, but can help to keep your eyes healthy and sharp well into the future.

While there are foods that you should eat that you cannot grow in a garden, there are several vegetables that you can grow that are good for your eyes.  

When deciding your next meal, there are factors to take into account.  Foods that contain a range of vitamins, nutrients, and minerals are known as antioxidants that will help your body to destroy oxidants.

Eating foods with a range of antioxidants may help to prevent several eye conditions such as:

  • Poor night vision
  • Dry eyes
  • Cataracts
  • Age-related macular degeneration
  • Glaucoma

Your eyes need several different types of antioxidants in order to fend off oxidants and stay healthy.

Some of these foods include:

  • Lutein
  • Zeaxanthin
  • Vitamins A, C, E
  • Zinc
  • Omega-3 Fatty Acids
  • Beta-carotene

Your diet should also include foods such as fish, eggs, and nuts, which you would buy from the store.  But if you have a green thumb personality and enjoy having a garden, there are foods you can grow to help your eye sight.

  • Spinach
  • Kale
  • Collards
  • Carrots
  • Tomatoes

The best way to eat is by doing what is called “following the rainbow.” Eating fruits and vegetables that vary in color offer many different vitamins that will help the health of you and your vision. When growing your garden, keep in mind that all vegetables provide nutrients for your body. The ones listed above are vegetables that are found to contain high amounts of antioxidants and nutrients. Happy gardening!

About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.

BLOCKING OUT UV

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As summer is finally underway, and temperatures reach up into the 90’s, many of us will find ourselves at annual pool parties, on the way to the beach, or just soaking up the sun’s rays outside. While sun exposure is encouraged, as it provides a good source of vitamin D, overdoing it can cause more harm than good if you fail to use the proper protection.

July is National UV Safety month and it is a great time to spread information and awareness about UV safety. UV radiation is the leading cause of skin cancer in the United States and is also responsible for eye damage, including cataracts and macular degeneration, which are the primary causes of vision loss among seniors.

There are some characteristics that make people more susceptible than others. Individuals with light colored eyes, blue or green, are generally at a larger risk from UV exposure than those who have darker eye colors.

There are some ways that you can help to prevent UV Damage.

  • Put on your sunglasses. The most effective type of sunglasses block out 99-100% of UV and are the wrap around type. This style helps to prevent UV rays from entering around the sides of the glasses.
  • Find the shade. Avoiding the sun when the UV rays are at the most intense, between the hours of 10 am to 3 pm, will lower the amount of UV you are exposed to.
  • Grab the cap. Wearing a hat will also help to limit exposure not only to your eyes but also to your face, scalp and neck depending on the type of hat you choose.

Remember that more than your skin can get burned by the UV rays. This is referred to as photokeratitis or sun burned eyes.
Symptoms of sun burned eyes are:

  • Eye pain
  • Burning sensation
  • Swollen eyes or lids
  • Watery eyes
  • Blurred vision
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Headaches
  • A gritty feeling
  • Red eyes.

These symptoms are usually temporary and will generally resolve themselves in 24-48 hours. If you find your symptoms are prolonged, contact your eye doctor immediately.

When the pool bag is packed and the sun screen is applied, don’t forget to grab your sunglasses as you head outdoors this summer. Proper UV protection will help to prevent your eyes from being burned by the sun but will also help to reduce the chances of eye troubles years down the road!

About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.

SPRINGTIME ALLERGIES!

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Happy face kid smile.Close up portrait joy child outdoors. Little boy playful smiling holding dandelions on eyes as eyeglasses. Joyful childhood, summer day. Background green grass

Allergies occur when your body becomes overly sensitive to something in the environment that typically causes no problems for most people. An allergic reaction may occur when that “something” that you are allergic to comes into contact with your eyes. In many cases, the “something” you are allergic to is airborne, such as pollen.

There are many different medications that have proven to be effective in fighting allergies, whether its spring, summer or fall allergies. If you cannot find a medication that helps you in combating the symptoms, it may be time to consult your eye doctor, as some eye diseases carry similar symptoms as allergies and will not improve with allergy treatment.

Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis, or SAC, is one of the most common types of eye allergy. Depending on the type of pollen that is in the air, people who suffer from SAC experience symptoms in spring, summer or fall.

Some of the most common symptoms are:

  • Itching
  • Redness
  • Burning
  • Clear watery discharge

People who have SAC may also notice dark circles under the eyes. These symptoms are often accompanied with a runny nose, sneezing, or nasal congestion.

As we stated earlier, there are several different types of medication that you can use to combat the symptoms of SAC.

There are also methods to combat your allergies that do not require medication.

  • Stay indoors at times when pollen counts are high.
  • Keep windows closed and use air-conditioning as much as possible.
  • Avoid using fans in windows as this tends to pull pollen into the house.
  • Wear glasses or sunglasses when outdoors to reduce the chances of getting pollen in your eyes.
  • Avoid rubbing your eyes when they feel itchy or watery.

Be sure to consult your eye doctor if you are using over the counter medications such as eye drops. Prolonged use of some eye drops may actually cause your condition to worsen and cause damage to your eyes. The proper treatment and avoiding pollen when it is at its highest will help to reduce your symptoms this allergy season.

About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.

EXTREME SPORTS REQUIRE CLARITY

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For many Americans, spring cleaning is not only a time to clean, but time to pull the fun toys out of storage. Toys such as the pair of jet skis neatly tucked away in the back of the garage or the four-wheeler that is out in the shed. While most thrill seekers take safety precautions when riding these vehicles, eye protection is often forgotten.

With all the excitement these high intensity motorsports deliver, most can’t wait to hop on and go, whether on water or through the woods. While many people remember the big ticket safety items such as the helmet or life vests, they often forgo eye protection, as part of their standard safety equipment.

The thrill of blazing down the trails on your four-wheeler, or skimming up one of our 3 rivers sitting atop a high-power jet ski, is what makes summer so appealing. You get ready for the season by taking care of your toys and doing such things as changing the oil or putting a new set of tires. But are you making sure you are ready to get out and get going with proper safety equipment?

Walking down the ramp to the dock, you throw on a life vest, jump on the Jet Ski and you take off full throttle down the river. What could go wrong? With your life vest on you are fully confident that you will float back to the surface if you are thrown off. But what if you aren’t thrown off? Can’t get hurt, right? There you are, cruising down the river and bam, catch a bug or piece of debris from the river in the face, even worse, a direct shot into the eye. While having a bug fly into your eye is bad enough, compound that with you traveling at 40+ mph.

This scenario is played out every year, and many times it ends with the rider taking a trip to the emergency room or to see their eye doctor. The impact of the bug to your eye can cause damage that can permanently affect your vision. A simple pair of sunglasses or goggles will not only help to prevent a bug from entering your eye, but will also help to reduce dry eye from the wind you experience at high speed. Sunglasses will also protect your eyes from the UV rays of the sun as they reflect off the water.

Off to camp you go as you back your four-wheeler off of the trailer and throw on your helmet, riding pants, boots, and t-shirt. Down the trail into the woods, hitting familiar trails throughout Western PA. Your goggles fog up so you take them off. It is all too easy to not think twice about taking them off as you can now see clearly again. That’s when it hits you, the branch you didn’t see hanging down over the trail.

Unfortunately this time you don’t have goggles on and it hits your face giving you an orbital fracture, or a fracture of the bone surrounding your eye. Some riders may experience a scratched cornea. Without safety goggles there is nothing to absorb the impact of the branch and you take the brunt of the impact. This fun weekend just took a turn down a wrong path as you now are faced with having to go to the emergency room.

Having the right eye protection when you are enjoying the outdoors, whether it is over the river or through the woods, can help to keep you safe as you enjoy your summer. Proper eye protection when using high octane personal vehicles can reduce the chances of injury from a foreign object impact, wind causing dry eye and UV rays from the sun. Be sure you sport up with the right eye protection. If you are unsure, give our office a call. At Bissell Eye Care, we carry a variety of sports eye wear. Summer is right around the corner. Make it a safe one.

About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.

CONTACTS OR GLASSES, WHAT’S YOUR BEST FIT?

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Contacts or glasses? This is a question that often presents itself after an eye exam, especially the first eye exam that determines that you need help to see clearly. While there is no scientific answer in most cases as to which option will suite you best, there are some personal factors that may cause you to lean one way or the other.

Whether you choose to wear eyeglasses or contacts mostly depends on your personality and personal preferences. Factors such as lifestyle, comfort, budget, convenience and aesthetics should play a role in your choice. When making the choice, remember that one is not necessarily better than the other, each has its own list of pros and cons.

First off we want to stress that glasses are a necessity whether you choose to have contacts or just glasses. While contact users wear their contacts majority of the time, your eye will often become tired or dry. This will cause discomfort and require you to remove your contacts and wear the glasses.

Contact lenses have many advantages over glasses. Contacts sit directly on your eye, so your vision, especially your peripheral vision, is unobstructed. You can also participate in sports and activities without the fear of your glasses falling off or getting in the way.

Listed below are some advantages and disadvantages of contact lenses.

Advantages

  • Contacts don’t get in the way when playing sports.
  • Contacts typically aren’t affected by weather conditions and won’t fog up in cold weather.
  • Contacts won’t clash with what you are wearing.

Disadvantages

  • Some people have difficulty applying contact lenses to their eye.
  • Some types of contacts require lens care and cleaning each day.
  • Contacts reduce the amount of oxygen reaching the eye and can increase dry eye symptoms.

That being said, eyeglasses also offer many benefits over contact lenses. They require little cleaning and less maintenance. You also do not need to touch your eye to wear glasses which reduces the chance of you developing an eye infection. Glasses are also cheaper than contact lenses in the long run, as they do not need to be replaced nearly as often as contacts.

Listed below are some advantages and disadvantages of glasses.

Advantages

  • Reduces the need to touch your eye, reducing the chances of infection or eye irritation.
  • Eyeglasses are cheaper over the long run and don’t need replaced unless you break them.
  • Glasses provide some protection from wind, dust and debris.

Disadvantages

  • Eyeglasses sit about a half inch from your eye, which distorts peripheral vision.
  • Frames can have constant pressure on your nose and head. This can lead to headaches.
  • Some people do mot like the way that glasses look and feel that it takes away from facial features.

Due to the advances in contact lenses, most people have the ability to wear them successfully and prefer them over glasses as a primary form of vision correction. The decision as whether to wear glasses or contacts, and when to wear them is usually a matter of personal preference. It is important to remember that if you do choose contacts, it is important to have an up to date pair of glasses to wear in case you need to stop wearing contact lenses due to irritation or infection.

About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.

CLOUDY VISION

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If you are over the age of 60 and have noticed that your vision has become blurry or cloudy, you may be suffering from cataracts. April is cataract awareness month and we want to talk about what the symptoms are and how you can treat cataracts to bring your world back into focus.

Every year, thousands of Americans will suffer vision loss associated with cataracts. Cataracts form when the protein, part of what helps to make up the lens in your eye, clump together forming what appears to be a cloud over the eye. Fortunately, cataracts are treatable and can be removed allowing you to see clearly again!

At the onset of development, cataracts are small in size and generally have minimal effect on your vision. As they progress you may feel as though you are wearing dirty contacts or glasses, leaving you with the sensation that you are looking through a cloudy piece of glass. During the day, light such as the sun or a lamp may feel very bright or create a glare which you never noticed before. At night you may have increasing difficulty driving because on coming headlights have more glare or a halo look. Colors will be dull and not appear as bright and vivid as they once did. The most surefire way to determine if you are suffering from cataracts is to see your eye doctor for a routine eye exam.

While there is no answer as to why the eye’s lens changes over time as we age, there are a few factors that put you at higher risk of developing cataracts.

  • Diabetes
  • Obesity
  • Hypertension
  • Significant alcohol consumption
  • Family history
  • Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun

You can help to prevent cataracts by wearing protective sunglasses that block 100% of the sun’s UV rays when you are outdoors. Eat a proper diet that is high in leafy greens and fruits which are high in vitamins and antioxidants. Some examples of food to add to your diet are:

  • Spinach
  • Kale
  • Leafy vegetables
  • Broccoli
  • Turnip greens

Now to the important part, TREATMENT! Many people feel that losing your vision as you age is inevitable. If you have cataracts however, this is not the case. Cataracts can be removed with surgery. The surgeon will remove the protein that has built up to form the cataract. Surgery may be a word that makes many people cringe. However cataract surgery is relatively simple and painless procedure. Nine out of ten people who undergo cataract surgery will regain vision between 20/20 and 20/40.

Remember that routine eye exams will help to detect cataracts early. This will prevent you from spending years of your life feeling like you are living in a fog, letting you enjoy everything that our beautiful earth has to offer us!

About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.

sports-eye-protection-performance

EYE INJURIES AND SPORTS

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sports-eye-protection-performanceWith spring sports right around the corner, as you suit up think about eye protection. Planning ahead and having the proper eye gear when the season starts will help to keep you and your kids safe as they play a variety of sports this spring.

A Sports Safety Report by The Vision Council Academy of Ophthalmology, recommends protective eyewear for any sport, even for children who don’t wear glasses or contacts. Some states and sport organizations have requirements for shin guards but not for sports protective eyewear

Eye injuries most often occur in baseball, basketball, ice hockey and racquet sports, yet few parents encourage their children to wear protective eyewear when playing these sports

For children 14 and under, baseball is a leading cause of sports-related eye injury. With nearly 31,000 people a year suffering injuries from eye related sports injuries, now is the time to plan. Wearing the proper protective eye gear can mean the difference between a successful season and an unfavorable one.

In baseball, ice hockey and men’s lacrosse, a helmet with a polycarbonate (an especially strong, shatterproof, lightweight plastic) face mask or wire shield should be worn at all times. It is important that hockey face masks be approved by the Hockey Equipment Certification Council or the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).

The following chart from the Vision Council Academy of Ophthalmology represents the recommended type of eye protection for a given sport.

sports-eye-protection

Many people who wear prescription glasses often feel as though they provide sufficient protection from eye injuries associated with sports. Glasses, however, are not designed to withstand an impact. Sportswear glasses or goggles developed for sports are constructed of a much stronger plastic that is designed to absorb the impact without shattering or breaking.

If you do use prescription glasses you may find that having prescription glasses created for sports use may help to improve your game! Most eyewear designed for the rugged usage associated with sport provide a wraparound type of lens. This will help to prevent any foreign object from entering the sides of the eye where normal prescription glasses do not cover. This also means that with safety sportswear glasses, you have a much larger range of vision, which may help to improve your game.

For those who don’t wear prescription glasses, safety glasses have come a long way and in many cases, look very similar if not identical to sunglasses. For night games and practices, glasses also come with clear to bright tinting which may help to improve your night vision.

Make sure the level of eye protection you or others in your family use is appropriate for the type of activity. Whether you are a parent, teacher, or coach, you can encourage schools to adopt a policy on protective eyewear. Meanwhile, parents and coaches should insist that children wear protective eyewear whenever they play sports and be good role models and wear it themselves.

About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.

EYE SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE

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Every day more than 2,000 people suffer from eye injuries while they are at work. One in 10 injuries may result in one or more missed days of work. With these statistics, we cannot stress enough the importance of workplace eye safety.

Many people feel that their glasses are sufficient to protect against eye injuries. While they do help to prevent foreign objects from entering your eye, they are not your best form of defense. Having the proper safety goggles can help keep you from being the 10-20% of those injuries that result in permanent vision loss!

The most common professions for eye injuries are those that perform manual labor. Professions such as steel workers, carpenters, welders, painters, etc. run the highest risk of eye injury. The most common causes for eye injuries are particles entering the eye, flying objects (bits of metal, glass, wood, and dirt), chemicals and tools utilized for the job.

Knowledge is the key to your safety. Know what the eye safety dangers are in your workplace and evaluate the hazards. Eliminate these hazards before starting work by using things such as machine guards, work screens, safety glasses and other eye protection devices. Operating equipment without proper training or without knowing the safety risks involved will increase your chances of serious injury.

There are many different types of eye protection. You should choose your eye protection based on what level of exposure your eyes have to hazards.

Some different types of eye protection include:

  1. Safety Glasses. Safety glasses are made of hard plastic that is resistant to shattering and breaking. They protect your eyes from the front and sides against foreign objects that can be harmful to your eyes. Safety Glasses should be used for light duty work.
  2. Goggles. Goggles provide complete coverage around your eyes. The goggles should properly seal to your face which provides greater protection than safety glasses against foreign material entering the eyes. Goggles are more effective against chemicals, sprays and sand blasting than safety glasses.
  3. Face Shields. Face shields provide coverage to not only your eyes but also to your entire face. These are worn when cutting tools are being used to protect from sparks or when larger pieces of debris can be thrown from power tools such as weed wackers or chain saws.
  4. Welding Helmets. A welding helmet is not only used to help protect your eyes from foreign objects but also from the extreme bright light that is produced when welding.
  5. Full-Face Respirators. Full-face respirators are used when gasses are present. They prevent any damage to your eyes from fumes. It is important to use full face respirators when doing things such as using a spray gun in an enclosed area, or mixing chemicals that can be dangerous to the eyes.

Regardless of what your profession is be sure to use the proper eye protection. Failing to take the proper precautions can result in a trip to the emergency room, cause you to miss work, and may even result in permanent vision loss.

About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.

INFECTIONS AND CONTACT LENSES

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Young man putting contact lenses at home, closeup

If you are a contact lens wearer, you have more than likely noticed how far we have come in the development of contact lenses since you started using them. Perhaps you have also been guilty of ignoring the wearing and care instructions from your optometrist. In a recent study 99% of people admitted they practiced at least one bad habit with their contact lenses and that puts them at a higher risk for eye infections.

If you are like many Americans, you have become quite accustomed to your contacts and may sometime forget you have them in. This usually leads to pushing the envelope on wearing them or leaving contacts in at times when you should not. Contaminated solutions can lead to infection. Are you changing the solution in your cases daily?

While contacts are more convenient and provide a greater range of clarity than glasses, improper handling can lead to eye infections.

Depending on the type of contact lenses you have, some of the most common misuses for contacts are:

  • Wearing contact lenses overnight while sleeping.
  • Napping while wearing lenses.
  • Nonuse of a sterile wetting solution
  • Topping off your disinfecting solution in lens storage case rather than emptying it and using new solution.
  • Using the contact lenses longer than recommended.
  • Not replacing the lens storage case at least once every 3 months.

Not surprising that of those surveyed nearly one third of respondents reported having red and or painful eye pain that resulted in a visit to the doctor.

When cleaning your contact case, allow it to fully dry after cleaning with the contact lens solution. Never use tap or sterile water to clean the lens case or contact. Mild pinkeye can be caused by solutions used for cleaning contacts. It is important to clean your contacts thoroughly to remove any virus or bacteria from the contacts after having pinkeye. If the contacts are not thoroughly cleaned, they can re-infect your eye. Do not wear contact lenses until the pinkeye is gone. Sterilize your contacts, and clean your storage case. If you wear disposable contacts, use a new pair when your eye has cleared and it is safe to wear contacts again.

Following these steps along with the recommended use from the contact lens manufacturer will help to prevent eye irritation or infection. If you do find that your eye becomes irritated be sure to take the contact lenses out immediately and use your prescription glasses. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, remove the contact lenses and consult an ophthalmologist immediately if you experience symptoms such as redness, pain, tearing, increased light sensitivity, blurry vision, discharge or swelling.

Enjoy clearer vision with contact lenses, but follow the recommendations for care and cleaning to prevent infection.

About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.